Entire Inside North Fork Road expected to open

Hungry Horse News

Glacier National Park officials say all 28 miles of the Inside North Fork Road, from Fish Creek Campground to Polebridge, is expected to open this weekend. Park road crews are completing temporary repairs on the roadway, including using existing gravel to fill holes caused by flooding.

The section of the road between Polebridge and Logging Creek opened to vehicle travel in May. Yearly spring floods cause recurring damage to areas of the road. Flooding and road washout caused significant damage to the road, particularly near Anaconda and Logging creeks.

A third section of the road between Quartz and Logging creeks is being undercut by the North Fork of the Flathead River. The riverbank is sloughing, posing safety concerns and potential road loss issues.

Planning is needed for long-term solutions to the continual damage, and temporary repairs to the road in the future will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Public input will be sought when planning begins, and an announcement will be released once the planning effort begins.

The Inside North Fork Road was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. It’s a narrow, gravel road and use of recreational, towed and low-clearance vehicles is strongly discouraged.

In ideal conditions, at least two hours are needed to travel the entire length of the Inside North Fork Road. Visitors are advised to carry plenty of water and food and be prepared to encounter downed trees.

For current information on Park roads, visit online at http://home.nps.gov/applications/glac/roadstatus/roadstatus.cfm or call 406-888-7800.